Only More Love
by International08
Summary: Post-Countdown. Kate and Josh have dinner and a long conversation that leads to some interesting realizations.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All Castle characters are the property of Andrew Marlowe and ABC.

Author's note: This is my first story, though I've been reading fan fiction for a number of years now. There are a lot of stories here that portray Josh as an arrogant jerk, and maybe he is. And trust me, I want him gone as much as the rest of you. But as someone who has experienced international aid work and knows both the incredible dedication that it takes as well as the reward, I think he probably is a great guy...just not the right guy for Kate. I'm not sure if this will end up being a one-shot or if I'll continue it. I kinda like the open-endedness at the moment, but we'll see.

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I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love. -Mother Teresa

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"You know, I was thinking maybe..." Castle paused and his eyes darted briefly over Beckett's shoulder as she looked hopefully at him. The sparkle in his eyes dimmed a bit and he spoke again. "I should...go home, get some rest. Long day."

Castle was still grinning at her, but it seemed forced somehow, Beckett thought to herself as he called out a "Goodnight" and turned away.

Her brows knitted as she responded in kind and looked after him. Was that really all he was going to say?

Her contemplations were interrupted by a hand at her back and the feel of someone leaning in to kiss her temple. She turned to greet Josh with a hug, but couldn't help allowing her eyes to follow her partner as he made his way to the elevator. Whatever it was would have to wait until later, she finally decided and lifted her face to smile at her boyfriend. She still couldn't believe he'd stayed.

"Grab some dinner with me?" The handsome doctor asked as he tucked a stray lock behind her ear and loosened his hold on her.

"Sure," she replied. "Just let me get my things and say goodnight to the boys." Josh released her then and she leaned back into the room where Esposito, Ryan, and the Captain still sat talking and nursing their drinks.

"I'm heading out, see you guys tomorrow," she said as she smiled at her coworkers and friends.

"No, stay home tomorrow," Montgomery told her. He quickly cut off the beginnings of her protest with a "Beckett, you and your shadow cheated death three times in the past two days. To be frank, I'm surprised you're doing as well as you are after the freezer incident. But the adrenaline will wear off soon enough" He paused and gave her a soft smile. "Take a day, get some rest. You just solved two murders and saved the entire city. You deserve it."

Nodding, she accepted his verdict with a quiet "Yes, sir," and made her way back to retrieve her bag and jacket. Josh was waiting for her there, sitting with his back to her in the chair beside her desk and drumming his fingers on the surface. Not playing with an iPhone or snooping or stringing together hundreds of paperclips, she thought, unlike that chair's usual occupant. Castle's face flashed briefly before her eyes and she wondered again what he'd been about to say before his abrupt departure.

Pushing her questions to the side, she leaned over to open the drawer where she kept her purse. As she stood, she saw that Josh was already holding her jacket open for her. She slid her arms into the sleeves and thanked him. He smiled, dropped a quick kiss on the top of her head, and with his hand on the small of her back, led her to the elevator and out of the precinct.

"So, what are you hungry for?" Josh asked as they stepped onto the sidewalk. "Italian? Chinese? Sushi?"

Kate thought for a moment and then decided. Pasta, cheese and breadsticks sounded like a deliciously warm and comforting meal, something she could use after the past two days.

"Italian," she announced. "Come on, there's this great little place around the corner. We can walk there."

Josh nodded and offered his hand to her. She took it and leaned into his side as they made their way toward the hole in the wall that she'd discovered during her second week at the 12th.

It was still early and they were able to get a table quickly. Kate slid into one side of the booth and Josh into the other. As they scanned their menus, he reached for hand again, intertwining his finger with hers.

"So what can you tell me about this case?" Josh asked. "You're not sworn to secrecy or anything, are you? I know there was an FBI agent or something around when I took care of you after your guys pulled you out of that freezer."

"Department of Homeland Security, actually," the detective replied. "And no, I'm not sworn to secrecy...at least not anymore."

She began to fill him in on what had happened, starting with how Amir's body had been found and their early suspicions about his activities, pausing to order lasagna and a salad, and then continuing her narrative. She told him how she and Castle had been kicked off the case but hadn't stopped investigating, how they'd found the bomb and been trapped in the freezer.

"I thought we would die in there," she admitted.

"You almost did," he said softly, and gripped her hand a little more tightly. "If your team hadn't found you when they did..."

Kate watched his eyes fill with tears as he trailed off and lifted his warm hand to her lips.

"Hey, hey...It's okay. I'm okay," she assured him.

"I know. It's just...I felt terrible for the way I'd left things with you. That's why I didn't leave for Haiti last night. I couldn't go knowing you were so upset with me."

"I'm glad you didn't. Especially since if you hadn't called they might not have found us in time."

He gave her a small smile then and released her hand when the server came to place their food in front of them. After they'd both taken a few bites, he prodded her to continue the story.

She told him about discovering that McCann wasn't really McCann, and the confrontation with Fallon during the interrogation. He said that the agent sounded like a real jerk and she told him about Ryan's discovery of the man's past, noticing that her boyfriend's eyes darkened a bit at this revelation.

She continued on about the co-conspirators and Amir's terrified wife, how they'd caught up to her but with only a minute and a half to spare.

"Is explosives training standard in the academy?" he asked.

She looked confused for a moment, then realized his implication.

"No, no, it's not, though maybe it should be. I had to call Fallon for help."

"Oh, well, good thing he knew what he was doing," he said, but as Kate's eyebrow quirked upward he wondered if there was more to the story.

"Actually, he didn't. He, uh, couldn't see the pictures I sent him. 30 seconds left and all he could tell me was how sorry he was."

"Then how..."

"Castle," she interrupted him, chuckling at his surprised look.

"What? Research for one of his books or something? This guy must be really thorough!" he exclaimed.

Kate's chuckle turned into a full-blown laugh then.

"No, just very, very, VERY lucky. He had no idea what he was doing. One moment he was looking at me with five seconds left on the clock. The next thing I knew he'd reached in and yanked ALL the wires."

"He did what? You can't be serious!"

"Yep, he pulled them all. Said he figured one of them must be the right one."

Her expression turned serious. "He saved my life, Josh. Hell, he saved the whole damn city."

Josh just shook his head incredulously. "Well, I can say this much: the man is either very brave or very stupid."

"It's a little of both, I think," Kate said. "Stupid enough to think he's invincible, brave enough to do things that should prove he's not. Fortunately, the 'universe,' as he would say, seems to have decided he needs to stick around for a little while longer, because no matter what he does, how many orders he disobeys, he never gets hurt. At least, not much more than a wounded ego."

"Well, I'm glad he's your partner then," Josh said sincerely and once again grasped her hand.

"Yeah, me too," Kate echoed, her voice hitching for a moment. She dropped her eyes to the table between them as she worked to regain her composure.

"He loves you, you know," Josh whispered as he gently squeezed her fingers.

"He what?" Kate's eyes shot up to meet her boyfriend's gaze, sad yet steady.

"He loves you. You can see it in the way he looks at you."

She tried to protest, but he cut her off.

"Kate, I know that look. It's how my dad looks at my mom, how my brother looks at his wife. It's how I used to look at Shannon."

"Who's Shannon?" she asked, temporarily distracted from the thought that Castle might love her by the sudden deep sadness in the doctor's eyes.

"Shannon...she was my first girlfriend. We grew up together, graduated first and second in our class (she beat me by two points on our history final exam). We went to the same college. She wanted to be a pediatrician. I wanted to become a surgeon. We were best friends who eventually became something more."

This time it was Kate who squeezed Josh's hand and urged him on.

"Our senior year of college we went on this trip to Honduras. They were still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch and needed medical volunteers. We weren't allowed to operate or anything, but they let us help where we could. It changed both our lives, Kate."

She saw the smile return to his face then and the passion that bloomed in his eyes.

"We had both decided - separately - that this was what we wanted to do with our lives. I remember looking for an opportunity to tell her, but before I had the chance, she pulled me aside one evening after dinner and said that we needed to talk."

"Never a good way to start a conversation," Kate said with a sympathetic grimace.

"I know, right?" Josh replied with a small laugh. "I was so nervous. I thought she was going to break up with me or something. But as it turned out, we'd both been thinking the same thing: that we wanted to be involved in this work full-time."

"So what did you do then?" Kate asked.

"We went back to school, graduated, and started med school. We were insanely busy, of course, but we took more trips as we could. A week in Bolivia during spring break. A month in Chad during the summer. After our second year, we went back to Honduras, back to where it all began. I was going to propose the last night of the trip. Had the ring and everything. I was going to pull her aside to the same spot where I'd thought she was going to break up with me and ask her to marry me so we could spend the rest of our lives working together to save the world."

He gave Kate a smile that quickly turned watery as his eyes filled with tears again. Kate took one of his hands in both of hers as he used the other to swipe at the moisture on his cheeks.

"The day before we were scheduled to head home, we packed up the site where we had been working so we could head back to our base camp. It was just a little ways away, maybe half an hour down this one-lane mountain road that never had any traffic. We were halfway down when I realized I was missing my stethoscope, the top-of-the-line one my dad had given me when I got into med school. The driver was kind enough to turn back so I could look for it. I searched high and low for it, retraced my steps from the entire day, before I finally found it next to a tree where Shannon and I had taken our lunch break. Took me about 15 minutes to track it down."

He gave a grim laugh and looked down at the table. "I should have just left the damn thing there. Dad would've understood."

"Josh, what happened?"

"There was normally no traffic on the road, like I said. But an abuelita in the village was celebrating her 90th birthday that day and her grandkids were coming up from the city. Like us, they didn't expect to meet anyone on the road. We came around a curve at the same time and they plowed into the front of the truck. All of us were tossed around a bit. We were sitting in the open back on these seats that were built out of steel tubing, a really common means of transportation in that area. Shannon and I were sitting in the very back, and I managed to grab the overhead bar to steady myself. But Shannon..."

He broke off, took a shuddering breath and met Kate's eyes again.

"Shannon...flipped over the back of the tailgate. I could tell from the moment I looked at her that she'd snapped her neck. It wasn't until I saw the blood seeping out that I realized she had also hit her head on a sharp rock when she fell."

"Oh, Josh," Kate sighed and held his hands a little tighter.

"There was nothing I could do, nothing any of us could do. With all our training, we didn't have the right supplies and we were too far from a hospital. I just had to hold her hand until she stopped breathing. She was gone in less than two minutes."

He pulled away from Kate then and scrubbed his hands over his face.

"God, it's been eight years and I still can't get that image out of my head."

Kate looked at the broken man in front of her. "I know," she whispered. "Trust me, I know."

He looked up at her words and reached out to her again.

"I know you do, Kate. I saw your mom's murder board this morning when I went by your place."

Kate blanched and stumbled over her words in her haste to explain. "Josh, I...I never told you because..."

"It's okay. I understand. Really. Some wounds are just too deep."

"I know, but I should have..."

"Shhh...Kate, it's alright. Does Castle know?"

"Yes."

"But I'm guessing you didn't tell him either, right? He's a nosy person. If he smells a story, he'll dig until he uncovers it," Josh said with a laugh.

"Yeah, pretty much. It almost cost us our partnership early on."

"I'm glad it didn't. Kate, he's good for you. He makes you laugh, and he makes you think. And I'm pretty sure he'd do just about anything for you. Knowing that you've got him...it makes this a little easier."

"Makes what a little easier?" she asked, surprised.

"Kate, I'm leaving tomorrow for Haiti."

"You're doing what?" Kate's voice rose in pitch as she stared at him, completely flabbergasted. "But I thought that...I mean, you..."

"I canceled my flight last night because I realized that I couldn't do that to you. I couldn't leave you hanging and waiting around for me. I care about you too much."

"Then why..."

He cut her off again. "Because as much as I care about you, this is who I am. This is what I am meant to do. As much as you are meant to be a detective and give people closure and justice when they lose a loved one, I'm meant to give them hope by saving their loved ones."

She just nodded. A calling was something she could understand.

He reached up to stroke her cheek. "If there was any way I could do both - be with you and fulfill my calling - you have to believe that I'd do it in a heartbeat. But I think we both know we can't. If you came with me, you'd be miserable. If I stayed, something would be missing. I can't do that to you or to myself."

"So this is goodbye then," she said, much more a statement than a question.

"Yeah, it has to be. I just couldn't leave without telling you why. You needed to know the whole story."

"Thank you," she said quietly as he stood and left enough money on the table to cover the check and a nice tip.

"I owed you that much, Kate. You're an amazing woman, and you deserve someone who can be there for you all the time."

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her out of the restaurant, into the cool New York evening. She stood in his embrace for a moment, resting her cheek on his shoulder as he stroked her hair.

"I really thought we might have a chance," she murmured into his jacket.

"I know. I wish things were different."

He pressed a kiss to her forehead and lifted his arm to hail a cab. As one pulled up, he opened the door for her, and she stepped in, preparing to give the driver her address.

Before she had a chance, however, he stopped her with a hand on her arm and spoke again.

"He loves you, Kate. You know, the first words out of his mouth when he woke up from the freezer were asking where you were and if you were okay. That's when I knew I was doing the right thing."

She gave him a sad smile as he continued.

"And if you care about him half as much as he cares about you, then he's the luckiest man on earth. Go to him. I think he needs your company tonight."

She nodded once more, and smiled as he kissed her hand. "Goodbye, Josh. Be safe."

"Goodbye, Kate. Take care of yourself." He released her hand and shut the taxi door.

She leaned forward then and gave the cabbie Castle's address, waving goodbye one last time as the car pulled away from the curb.

Sighing, she closed her eyes and only opened them again when she felt the vehicle slide to a stop and heard the driver say, "We're here, ma'am."

She paid him and exited the taxi, nodding at the doorman who had long since come to recognize her. The detective entered the elevator and pressed the number for his floor. The elevator rose quickly, and when it let her out, she walked slowly down the hall, pausing a moment in front of his door to listen. She didn't hear any voices, so Martha and Alexis must not be home yet.

Finally, she knocked and waited only a moment before it opened and the writer stood before her with a blanket wrapped around his slumped shoulders. He looked tired, she thought, as she noticed the redness around his eyes.

"Kate!" he exclaimed, with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "I didn't expect to see you again so soon. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, Castle," she told him, as a weight lifted from her shoulders. "Yeah, I think everything's good. Could I come in?"


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: All Castle characters are the property of Andrew Marlowe and ABC.

Author's note: So, I decided to keep going, at least for one more chapter. Thanks for all the kind reviews. I was surprised at the level of response the first chapter received.

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"Kate!" he exclaimed, with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "I didn't expect to see you again so soon. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, Castle," she told him, as a weight lifted from her shoulders. "Yeah, I think everything's good. Could I come in?"

"Of course!" he replied and stepped out of her way as he opened the door fully, the navy blue fleece blanket flapping around him like a cape. Just like a superhero, she thought.

As she stepped inside, Kate was met with a blast of warmth and she noticed that he'd changed into sweats and, by the looks of it, swapped his shoes for a second pair of warm socks.

"You're still cold, aren't you?" she asked gently as he shut the door behind her.

"Yeah, I mean, I was okay when we were out running around and then back at the precinct, but on my way home, I just started shivering again. So I bundled up when I got here and tried to take a nap but I couldn't sleep because I was still so worked up and..." He seemed to realize he was rambling and abruptly stopped to see that Kate was looking at him with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Can I tell you a secret, Castle?" she asked with a slight upturn of her lips. Without waiting for his answer she leaned toward him and stage whispered, "I'm wearing long johns, two shirts, a jacket, and three pairs of socks. And I'm really hoping you might offer to loan me a blanket while I'm here."

"Oh, yeah, sure." He turned and padded into the living room, leaving Kate smiling at the slightly bewildered look on his face.

He returned quickly with a second blanket, this one a dark green, and watched as the detective set her purse on the entry table, unfolded the warm fleece and pulled it around her own shoulders before turning her gaze back to him.

"Can I get you something to drink?" he asked after a moment of just staring at her.

"Got any hot chocolate?"

"I believe we do. Marshmallows?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Of course," she answered with a quick grin.

He shuffled off to the kitchen and she followed, perching herself on one of the bar stools. She watched as he set the milk to heat on the stove and rummaged in the cupboard for the hot chocolate mix and the bag of marshmallows (immediately popping two into his mouth, of course).

"Oo wa wo?"

"No thanks," she chuckled. "I really only like marshmallows when they're all melty in hot chocolate or s'mores."

He shrugged and replied, "Or oss," causing Kate to shake her head at him as he turned his attention back to the stove.

Seeing that the milk was hot enough, he turned off the burner, stirred in the mix and distributed the beverage evenly into two ceramic mugs. He started to reach for the marshmallows but paused.

"Do you trust me?"

"Always," she responded and caught a glimpse of something flash across his features before he leaned down and pulled a dark-colored bottle out of what she knew to be his liquor cabinet. He poured a small measure into each mug, added the marshmallows and handed the drink across the bar into her waiting hands.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

She took a sip, closed her eyes, and nearly moaned as the warm beverage slid down her throat. She opened her eyes again to find him regarding her with a small smile, one that truly reached his eyes this time.

"I take it you approve, Detective?"

"Castle, this just might be the best hot chocolate I've ever had. What in the world was in that bottle?"

He leaned in and gave her a conspiratorial grin. "I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you."

He was acting more like himself now, Kate thought, a fact for which she was grateful.

"Just remember, Kitten, I'm the partner who carries a gun," she threatened, seeing his eyes soften as the word 'partner' left her lips.

"Fine, fine," he acquiesced as he held his hands up in mock surrender. "It's butterscotch schnapps. An old trick I learned when Alexis was little and had trouble sleeping."

Her jaw dropped at that statement. "You added alcohol to her hot chocolate to get her to sleep?"

"What? No! No." he backpedaled quickly. "Hot chocolate always made her sleepy, so I would make two cups. But it didn't work on me and I'd stay up worrying about her long after she'd drifted off. I started adding the schnapps to mine so I wouldn't be awake all night when she woke me up at 2 a.m. with nightmares."

"What kind of nightmares?" she asked, satisfied that he had not, in fact, been drugging his little girl.

"Well, she never wanted to talk about them much, but it was right after Meredith had left us, so..."

"That must have been a hard time, for both of you."

"She cried for weeks," Castle admitted. "I think that was the worst part—knowing there was nothing I could do to make it better."

Kate knew that after the emotional day they'd both had, their current conversation that had quickly turned from joking and banter to a much more serious topic, well, it wasn't what either of them needed at the moment. She reached over to squeeze his hand and changed the subject a little.

"Where are Alexis and Martha anyway? I figured they'd be home by now."

"No, I called them to let them know they could come back, but apparently there's a big storm rolling in, so they opted to spend the night and head home early in the morning." She could see how much he missed them, but then he perked up a bit. "We did get to video chat for a few minutes."

"That's good," she said and released his hand to take another sip of the hot chocolate.

"What about you? Where's Josh? I figured you two would be celebrating tonight, what with him not being in Haiti and you not being..." he trailed off suddenly.

"Dead?" she supplied quietly and watched as his face lost all its color.

"Yeah, that..." he breathed out.

"Captain gave us tomorrow off, by the way. Said we should get some rest after everything we've been through."

"Maybe I can convince Alexis to stay home from school so we can spend some time together. Life's too short, you know?"

"Yeah, I know. You should definitely do that."

She went silent then and they both just sat for a few moments, each lost in their own world. Finally, he looked at her mug and realized she'd hit bottom.

"I could make more if you'd like?"

It took her a second to catch his meaning, and then she shook her head, hopping down from the stool to wash her mug out.

"So you never told me where Josh was," he said quietly as he joined her at the sink. "Did he get called in or something?"

"No, we went to dinner. It was...it was good," she said with a sigh. "I told him about the case, how you managed to save the city by virtue of your sheer dumb luck."

She bumped his shoulder playfully, and he grinned at her.

"That WAS pretty lucky. I still can't believe it really happened."

"I know, me neither. Josh and I agreed that you are very brave and very stupid."

She winked at him as he opened his mouth and began to look affronted, but before he had a chance to say anything she continued.

"We also agreed that we're glad you're my partner."

"You are?" he asked softly.

"Yes, Castle, very much so," she responded, drying her hands on a dishtowel and using them to brace herself against the counter behind her.

"Why?"

"You may not be a cop, but I know you've always got my back, even if your only weapon is a bottle of champagne."

He chuckled at that and she went on.

"You make me laugh, and in a job like mine, I need someone who can do that."

"Most of all, you've proven yourself loyal to those you care about, nearly to the point of self-destruction." She reached out to touch his arm so he would face her, so he could see the sincerity in her eyes.

"Castle, you put up a hundred thousand dollars so I'd have a chance – a CHANCE – at finding my mom's killer. You ran into a burning building to drag me out. You tackled a man who was trying to shoot me and beat him to a pulp. And today, when you could have gone and been safe in the Hampton's with your family, you chose to stay with me instead. To most people, doing even one of those things would sound crazy, but that's just who you are."

His eyes crinkled. "Are you calling me crazy, Detective Beckett?"

"Yes, yes, I am," she said and laughed with him for a moment before becoming serious again.

"Really, Castle, thank you. For everything you've done for me."

"Always," he said, and though he was smiling, his blue eyes were earnest and piercing. She was momentarily stunned at the expression on his face, seeing perhaps for the first time the look that Josh had spotted.

Sensing that something had inexplicably shaken her, Castle covered the hand that still rested on his arm. "Kate, are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good." She let out a ragged breath. "Just remembered something Josh said to me earlier."

His eyes darkened a tiny bit, but all he said was "Come sit with me in the living room? I'm getting cold again, and I've got the fire going in there. Unless you need to go…"

"No, no point in going home to an empty apartment right now."

Castle lifted his eyebrows but said nothing for the moment, and Kate didn't offer anything else, just followed him, sank into the warm leather couch and closed her eyes. She could feel Castle hesitating before finally sitting next to her, still huddled in his blanket. She knew his insatiable need to know everything would come through soon. Sure enough, she didn't have to wait long before he spoke, just loud enough for his voice to cross the foot between them but softly enough not to startle her if her mind was elsewhere.

"What brought you to my neighborhood this evening, Kate? You didn't come just to steal my blankets and drink my hot chocolate, did you?"

She opened her eyes to find him a short distance away with an amused, yet questioning look on his face.

"No." She paused and he began to look worried again.

"You asked me where Josh was."

"I did."

"Well, I can't be positive, but I assume he's at home, packing."

Castle sucked in a quick breath. "Son of a…after all that, he's still going to Haiti?"

"He is. He leaves in the morning."

"Kate, I'm so sorry." Castle reached for her then, placing a comforting arm across her shoulders and, when she showed no signs of resistance, drawing her into his side. "Do you want me to go over there and torture him with my 'vast arsenal of rapier wit'? Or punch him? That worked the last time someone was trying to hurt you."

She laughed, touched by his instant willingness to be her white knight.

"It's okay, Castle. We had dinner, we talked. Not how I expected to spend my evening, but we parted on good terms. He certainly wasn't trying to hurt me."

"Did he tell you why he decided to go?" he asked timidly, not wanting to pry, but curious all the same.

"Yeah, he told me the whole story, and I understand completely. It's his calling. It wouldn't have been fair of him to ask me to give up being a detective, right?"

Castle nodded.

"I couldn't have asked him to give up his passion either. He's a good guy and hearing him talk about his work, well, it always made me want to be a better person."

Castle squeezed her shoulder.

"Having a teenage daughter, I know that I should offer you some chocolate ice cream right now, but that would kind of defeat the purpose of the blankets and the fire, right? I mean, I'll be happy to grab some if you'd like, but…"

"No, Castle," she cut him off. "It's fine. I'm fine. Besides, Josh gave me something far better than chocolate ice cream before he said goodbye."

"Better than chocolate ice cream?" he asked, disbelievingly. "Impossible!"

"Yep, better than all the chocolate ice cream in the world. He told me a story, one even more beautiful than the ones you write."

"Does that mean my stories aren't better than chocolate ice cream?" he asked as his bottom lip began to push out into a pout.

She rolled her eyes, but graced him with a soft smile nonetheless.

"I think you'll like this story. It's about a man who nearly froze to death."

He stilled beside her then and gazed into the flames dancing across the room. She reached out to grasp the hand that wasn't on her shoulder.

"The paramedics and a doctor managed to save him, but when he woke up, the only person he could think of was his partner. She was okay, but he didn't know. The paramedics kept trying to calm him down but all he would do was ask about her. Finally, the doctor came and told him she was just fine."

She felt him shudder and let go of his hand to touch his cheek, turning him to face her, immediately noticing the moisture brimming in his eyes.

"God, I thought I'd lost you," he whispered and a single tear trickled down his cheek. "When you passed out in my arms in the freezer, I didn't know what to do. And then, when I woke up and you weren't there…"

She wrapped both arms around him and quietly shushed him as he buried his face in the crook of her neck, the sobbing now beginning to wrack his blanket-covered shoulders.

"Hey now, shhh, it's okay. We're both alright. We made it out just fine. A little cold, a little tired, but we'll live to fight another day. Come on, Castle…shhh."

Slowly his sobs subsided as he clung to her. She carded her fingers through his silky hair and it seemed to calm him further. When he finally sat up again, he pushed his fists into his eyes. Like a little boy, she thought, and she couldn't help leaning forward again to place a kiss on his forehead.

"I was scared too, you know. When they brought me around and you hadn't woken up yet." She felt the tears spring into her own eyes, and for once, didn't resist them.

"I can't lose you, Castle. You're my partner and my—my best friend. I don't know what I'd do without you."

It was his turn to wrap her up, and with the blanket still on his shoulders, she got the funny impression of being a baby chick gathered under its mother's wings. Her tears turned to giggles, then chuckles, and finally she couldn't keep herself from breaking out in laughter, even as Castle pulled back and stared at her, completely mystified.

"You *gasp* reminded me *gasp* of a chicken," she tried to explain as her laughter slowed, knowing full well that she was failing miserably. "With the blanket, I mean. Earlier, I thought you looked like a superhero with a cape." He grinned at this. "But just now, you were more like a mother hen with one of her chicks."

He began to laugh then too, and they both giggled until their sides hurt and the tears streaming down their faces were no longer from fear or hurt, but from relief and pure joy that somehow, they'd made it through the past few days relatively unscathed.

Finally, she sighed and leaned back into him, relaxing into the arm that was still draped across her shoulders.

"Kate," he called softly after a few minutes of comfortable silence.

"Mmmhmm?" she murmured as she lifted her head to look at him, witnessing a flash of trepidation in his expression before it settled into something she could only describe as hope.

"Please don't kill me," he began, and at her raised eyebrow he continued. "I know I probably shouldn't be saying this right now and you'll probably hate me for telling you, but…"

"What is it, Castle?"

"It's just, after everything that's happened the past few days and how many times we came so close to dying…I just, I just have to get something off my chest."

"It's okay, just tell me," she encouraged him. "Whatever it is, we'll figure it out."

He looked deep into her eyes, and she could clearly read his pleading for her to not be angry with him.

"I think I love you," he whispered, and she could tell he was steeling himself for the worst. She smirked.

"I know."

Shock appeared suddenly in his features as he leaned back to take in the upturned corners of her mouth, the quirk of her brows and the glitter in her eyes.

"Did you…I don't believe it! You just pulled a Han Solo on me!" he cried, torn between being indignant at her response and wanting to fall into fits of laughter all over again.

"Yes, I did, though if I'm Han, that would make you Leia, and let me just warn you that if I ever see you in a metal bikini, I'll consider it a crime against humanity and shoot you on the spot."

She took in his astonished expression, but before he could respond, she cupped his cheek and, sensing the shift, his eyes grew serious once more.

"That's the rest of the story Josh told me. He said he recognized the way you look at me. That his dad looked at his mom the same way, that he had looked at the girl he loved that way too before she was killed in an accident. He's the reason that I came over tonight. I had to find out if he was right when he told me that you loved me."

"Pretty smart guy, that Doctor Motorcycle Boy," he commented, and she laughed, dropping her hand from his cheek to wrap her arm around his chest that still rumbled with an echo of his laugh.

She hid her face in the folds of his blanket, but he could still hear her as she started to speak. "I realized something today, Castle. When you grabbed my hand while we were standing in front of the bomb?"

His arm tightened around her shoulders and she felt him nod.

"I think I love you too," she whispered.

He didn't respond, but she heard his breath hitch before his body relaxed a little more.

She knew he'd want a moment to absorb it all, but she needed to break the sudden silence, and he heard her mumble, "Is it okay if I still call you Castle? Rick just doesn't sound right."

He chuckled. "Sweetheart, you can call me Castle, Writer Boy, Crazy Idiot or whatever else you want as long as you're telling me you love me."

She smiled and burrowed further into his warmth, lifting her eyes to watch his face.

"Kate?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I kiss you now?"

"I'd be disappointed if you didn't," she teased.

He bent his head and sweetly pressed his warm lips to hers for a brief moment before smiling against her mouth and allowing his forehead to rest on hers.

Kate knew that there would be time tomorrow for talking about where to go from here, setting ground rules at the precinct, handling the inevitable publicity, and telling his daughter and mother.

But for now, all they wanted was a little peace and quiet after a long day. His arm tightened around her as he drifted off, and she sighed happily. For now, this was perfect.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: All Castle characters are the property of Andrew Marlowe and ABC.

Author's note: Sorry for the long delay. I considered leaving this where it was, but got a few requests to continue, so I figured I'd keep going for a little longer. Once again, it's been a great pleasure to see so many alerts and reviews in my inbox. Thank you all. I'm glad you're enjoying my take on things.

* * *

Around 6:30 the next morning, Kate awoke to the sound of a key turning in the lock and two muffled but familiar voices bickering.

"But Gram, I have that physics test today! I can't miss it."

"I know, Darling, but I think your father needs you. Can't you make it up or something?"

"Make-up exams are always harder than the originals and I'm not even as ready as I'd like. Can't you stay home with him?"

"I have rehearsal at eleven, and the opening is only two weeks away. I have to be there."

"Fine," Kate heard Alexis say with an exasperated sigh. "Can we compromise? I'll go to school until I finish my test in second period and then come home."

"I think that sounds like a lovely idea. Come on, let's put our things away and go check on your father."

Kate listened as they removed their jackets to hang them in the coat closet and headed upstairs to deposit their belongings in their rooms. She debated getting up, knowing that they would surely be discovered when they returned, but then realized that she didn't really mind. She loved Alexis, and Martha was dear to her as well.

Besides, she was comfortable. Sometime during the night, she and Castle had shifted so they were stretched across the length of the couch on their sides. His nose was buried in her soft curls, his arm slung across her belly as he held her to himself. Their fleece blankets lay crumpled on the floor, but for the first time in 36 hours, she wasn't cold.

"M-morning," he yawned, and tightened his hold on her. "Are you awake, Kate?"

He yawned again and his warm exhale on the back of her neck sent a sudden jolt of electricity down her spine. As she tensed in his arms, Castle lifted his head to look at her.

"You okay?"

Seeing the concern in his blue eyes, she couldn't help but smile back at him.

"Good morning to you. And yes, I'm fine. I think I heard Martha and Alexis come in just now."

"Really?" His eyes brightened and he nearly vaulted off the couch in his haste to see them for himself before realizing he was still wrapped around Kate who was regarding him with an amused twinkle.

"What? I missed them!" he defended.

"I know you did. Just don't drop me on the floor, please."

"Sorry," he said, his tone contrite as he began to extricate himself more carefully.

Kate took pity on him and smoothed a hand up his chest to his cheek as she sat up. He stilled at her actions and turned his attention fully to her.

"You know, when I first met you, I thought you were an arrogant playboy. It was your devotion to your family that changed my mind. You're a great son, Castle, and an even better father. They're lucky to have you."

"I'm pretty sure I'm the lucky one," he said and turned his head slightly to kiss her palm. "Now, are you going to stay for breakfast, or do you want me to distract them while you sneak out?"

"Why would I want to sneak out?" she asked with slight confusion.

"Well, I wasn't sure if you'd be up to the walk of shame this morning. I...I mean, not that there's anything to be ashamed of or anything." He was blushing now and Kate found his stutter highly entertaining.

"Not yet, Writer Boy, not yet," she said and smirked at his gobsmacked expression. "I'll stay for breakfast. Unless you think they'd rather have you to themselves for a bit?"

"Nonsense, dear," Martha declared as she and Alexis entered the room. "You are always welcome in this home."

Alexis bobbed her head in agreement before rushing to wrap her arms around her father and bury her face in his chest.

"I'm so glad you're okay. We were so worried."

"Me too, pumpkin."

Kate watched as his eyes misted over and he reached for his mother, drawing her into the embrace. She felt somewhat as if she were intruding and briefly considered heading into the kitchen and giving them a moment alone. Before she could put that plan into action, however, a thin arm shot out of the tangle, grabbed her hand, and pulled her in.

"Thanks for keeping him safe, Kate," the young redhead whispered fervently, and the detective felt her heart well up as Alexis squeezed her hand at the same time as Martha wrapped an arm around her waist and Castle tilted his head to lean his temple against hers.

"Actually, he's the one who kept me safe this time," she confessed softly. "I wouldn't be standing here if it weren't for your brave dad."

Alexis leaned back to look at him and narrowed her eyes slightly, although they still held a twinkle. "What stupidly heroic stunt did you pull this time?"

"Heh," Castle let out a nervous chuckle. "Funny that you should use the word 'pull.' I sorta disarmed a bomb by yanking all the wires right before it was going to explode."

"Dad, what have I told you about bombs?"

"Umm...stay away from them?"

"Yes," Alexis scolded him, and then turned toward Kate. "That goes for you too, detective."

"We'll try," she mumbled, feeling strangely chagrined, and Castle added, "No more bombs, got it."

"Good, now that we've got that settled, what's for breakfast, Dad?"

"Pancakes sound okay?"

"Chocolate chip?"

"Is there any other kind?" Castle asked with a raised eyebrow, rubbing his hands together. Kate just rolled her eyes at the exchange.

The four of them made their way into the kitchen where Alexis immediately poured two glasses of orange juice, handing one to her father and taking a sip of her own.

"What's your pleasure, Detective? Orange juice? Coffee?"

"Bloody Mary?" added Martha.

"Coffee," responded both the writer and the detective at the same time. "Two creams, one sugar," Castle added with a wink as he noted Beckett's shy smile.

"Coffee it is, then," nodded Alexis. "You want a cup too, Dad?"

"Yes, please. Kate, my daughter makes the best coffee. A fact for which I have no explanation, since she doesn't even drink the stuff," he said with a laugh. Kate just smiled at him.

Both Alexis and Martha raised their eyebrows upon hearing Castle call her by her first name but wisely chose not to say anything. The detective and her shadow were too wrapped up in each other to even notice the look that passed between the two redheads.

"Well, I'm sure she'll be drinking it soon enough. Gotta stay awake for those college all-nighters somehow, right?" Kate nudged Alexis and gave her a kind smile. "Have you decided where you want to go?"

"Still thinking about it. I've narrowed it down a bit, but ultimately, it'll come down to who has the best programs and offers me the best scholarship."

"Ale-" Castle began, but his daughter cut him off.

"Yes, Dad, I know you have plenty of money set aside for college, and I'm sure I'll be asking you to send me some from time to time, but I want to be able to make my own way too." She turned to Kate. "You know what I mean, don't you?"

Kate nodded and clapped a hand on the teen's shoulder.

"Yes, I do. It's important to make it on your own merits. But it's also good to know you have people who love you and who you can count on when the going gets tough."

Alexis smiled at this and leaned over to hug the woman.

"You need to come over more often so you can defend me to Dad. He's so overprotective."

"Trust me, I know," Kate responded in a whisper loud enough that all the occupants of the kitchen could hear.

Castle, who had been flipping the pancakes, turned and brandished the spatula at the two while Martha looked on, amused.

He tried to look menacing as he pointed the utensil at them. The flowery apron he wore and the chocolate chip smudges around his mouth, however, did not help his image.

"That's it! You're out of the will!"

Alexis replied with a simple, "Oh, come on, Dad," while Martha added, "Now really, Richard."

Kate went straight to the heart of the matter.

"That's okay, Alexis, I'll adopt you and add you to mine," she said with a wink, squeezing the girl again.

Castle melted. When Kate and Alexis looked up at him, he had a sappy, sentimental grin on his face. He read the question on both of their faces.

"Nothing...I mean, I'm fine," he mumbled, then blurted, "It's just that I never thought having the women I love gang up on me would make me so happy!" He turned back to the pancakes.

In the moment it took said women to process what he'd said, three things happened: Kate's heart did a flip, Martha gave the detective and her son a knowing look, and Alexis squealed, jumping off the stool to wrap her arms around her father from behind.

"You told her? Finally! I was hoping you two would see the light sometime this century!"

"You knew?" the detective asked, incredulously.

"Well, yeah," the teenager shrugged. "I mean, he never told me outright, but I know my father pretty well. And even though I don't know you as well, I could tell you cared about him the same way."

"What do you mean? How?" The question came from Castle this time.

"Really, Dad? Even Dr. Parish's 'patients' could see there was something special between you two. I'm just glad you finally realized it."

Castle shook his head and locked eyes with Kate who allowed a small smile to play at her lips.

"Me too, pumpkin, me too."

He slid the pancakes onto a platter and carried it over to the table, which Martha had already set.

Kate piled two pancakes on her plate, slathered them with butter and strawberry syrup, and proceeded to observe her fellow diners as she enjoyed her breakfast. She watched as Castle teased his mother about her cultured manners while winking and grinning at his daughter, who rolled her eyes. The man himself already had a spot of syrup on his cheek, an inch or so to the right of his smiling mouth.

Suddenly, she couldn't help herself. She set down the knife on the edge of her plate, licked her left thumb and lifted it to the writer's face. As soon as he felt her touch, wiping away the sticky substance while her fingers caressed the edge of his jaw, Castle froze, the smile disappearing from his features. When she removed her hand, he involuntarily leaned toward her, closing his eyes at the loss of contact . He opened them again just in time to see her run her tongue across her thumb, removing the last remnants of the syrup. Neither noticed that the table had gone completely silent or that its other two occupants were staring at them.

Her eyes rose to his, and she noted - not for the first time in the past day - something she'd never seen there before, an unfathomable tenderness mixed with unbridled desire. She felt the warmth flooding her face and the shift of something deep in her belly. Just as she began to reach for him, she heard a noise. The sound of a throat being cleared. The throat of a certain Broadway diva, if she wasn't mistaken.

"Well, I hate to break up this little party, but I must go and prepare for the coming day," Martha proclaimed, nudging her granddaughter, whose eyes were still fixed on her father and his muse.

"Oh, uh, yeah, me too," the girl managed to get out, dropping her napkin onto the table and rising from her chair to follow Martha up the stairs.

"Wait, pumpkin," Castle sputtered as he returned to his senses. "I was hoping you could stay home with me today, maybe have a movie marathon or go to the Met?"

"I've got my physics test this morning, remember?" she said, but rushed to finish when she saw his dejected look. "But it's in second period, so I could come home right after that and we can do whatever."

Her father brightened.

"Yeah, okay! That sounds good."

The teen turned to address the detective, whose face was still a rosy pink. "Can you hang out with us, or do you have to go to work?"

"I, uh, well, I've got the day off," Kate began. "But I figured you'd want to spend time with just your dad, so I was going to head home."

"Well, I'm sure you wanna go home and take a shower, and as busy as you are, I bet you've got a few other things you need to do. But maybe you could come back this afternoon for that movie marathon and stay for dinner?"

Alexis and Kate both looked to Castle who nodded, beaming.

"Okay, I think I could do that. What time?" the detective asked, once again experiencing the infusion of warmth that seemed to accompany spending time with this family.

"Is three o' clock alright?"

"That sounds good. Hey, how about I give you a ride to school on my way home?"

Alexis smiled. "That would be great. Paige has a dentist's appointment at 11, so she can bring me home on her way there." She turned and headed toward her room, calling back to Kate. "I should be ready in about half an hour."

Kate nodded, and then turned to see Castle looking at her both affectionately and sadly.

"What's up, Castle? What's wrong?"

He shook his head. "Nothing really, just sorry to see you go."

She wrapped her arms around him and rested her cheek on his chest.

"I know, but I really do need to go home for a bit so I can get a few things done. Besides, you won't be alone," she said, knowing that was the crux of the matter. "She may not have said as much, but I think your mother will enjoy having you to herself for a little while this morning. And Alexis needs time with you too. If this is going to work for us, your family needs to know that I'm not going to steal you from them."

"So there's officially an us?"

"That would be the part you'd latch onto, wouldn't it?" she chuckled, lifting her head from his chest to meet his eyes. "Yes, Castle, there's officially an us. What, you think I tell all my partners that I think I love them?"

He smiled and dropped a kiss on her forehead. "I sure hope not."

They stood quietly in the embrace for a few minutes, until Kate felt a vibration coming from Castle's chest and heard him softly humming.

She pulled back a little to look at him questioningly. "Really, Castle? 'Up Where We Belong'?"

"Hey, I was just thinking about how far we've come and all that we've been through together, and it's the song that came to mind!" he defended. "You know, mountains in our way, happy to be alive."

She looked at him thoughtfully for a moment. "You know, maybe you're right."

His expression of surprise quickly turned into mischief. "Can I get that in writing, Detective?"

She removed her hand from where it rested on his back to playfully swat him upside the head before leaning back into his embrace.

"Dance with me?" he whispered, beginning to slowly sway as he resumed his humming.

Kate tucked her hand into his, lacing their fingers together, but didn't straighten her posture. She couldn't get enough of his strong baritone resonating through his chest into her body.

Leisurely he led her around the room, dodging furniture as they went. The last few notes found them standing in front of the picture window in the living room, looking out over the city they both loved as it came to life in the morning light.

"With all the horrible things we see every day, it's easy to forget, but it really is beautiful, isn't it?" he said softly, squeezing her hand.

"Yes," she breathed as she studied his face. He dropped his gaze from the window to meet hers, quickly noticing the unshed tears.

"What is it, Kate?" he asked as he lifted his hand to brush the hair away from her forehead and then brought it down to cup her cheek.

"Just realizing how lucky I am, that's all."

"Oh, sweetheart," he whispered. "You and me both."

She could still see a hint of the desire she had stirred up in him earlier, but it was the tenderness by far that shone most clearly in his blue eyes. She unlaced their fingers and brought her hand to the back of his head, running her fingers through his short hair. The hand she'd just released found the small of her back, pulling her closer to him.

With a slight pressure on his neck, she dragged him down to meet her, tilting her own face to just the right angle. He resisted ever so slightly, but allowed their lips to brush once, twice, and then with a soft groan, he gave in. He settled against her mouth, and she could feel the longing in his kiss. He kept it soft though, and she could tell he was holding back, trying to take things slowly.

She broke away from him, her gaze penetrating. "Castle," she called his name softly, but with an air of authority. "This is real, you and me...I know you're worried, but I won't break, and I sure as hell won't run. Kiss me the way I know you want to."

His eyes darkened. The hand on her back fisted in her shirt while the hand that cupped her cheek moved to tangle in her dark auburn locks. The look in his eyes now was bordering on dangerous, but she knew that she need not worry. The passion she saw there was one that protected and cherished those he loved, not one that destroyed.

Fiercely, he brought his mouth back to hers, lips crashing together as both sought to know and be known, to taste and feel the melting away of the years of tension that had brought them to this point. They had looked death in the face together, not once, but many times. Both of them had regrets, but neither would trade this moment for any other in the world.

She could barely breathe, though she wasn't certain if it was because he was crushing her to himself or because all of the air had rushed out of her lungs when he finally kissed her with the intensity she knew he possessed.

After a long moment, he lifted his head away from her, but she raised her body on tiptoes to once more tenderly press her lips to his. Lowering herself, she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her cheek on his chest once again.

"Now that's more like it," she whispered. "I'm glad you finally learned to do what I say."

She felt a laugh rumble through him, and she smiled.

"I love you."

"I love you too. Now, let's go see what happened to that daughter of mine."

He release her from his embrace, but quickly twined his fingers with hers, smiling as she leaned into him. They made their way to the entry hall, finding Alexis gathering her things.

"Oh, I was just about to come find you. Ready to go?" the redhead asked.

"Yes, just let me grab my purse and put my shoes on."

As Kate turned to slip back into her heels and retrieve her purse, Castle wrapped his daughter in a warm hug.

"Good luck on your test, pumpkin. I love you and can't wait to see you later."

"Thanks, Daddy. I love you too. I should be home around 10:30. Can we have grilled cheese and tomato soup for lunch?"

"That sounds great."

"Kate, are you parked in the garage?"

"Crap," the detective interjected. "I totally forgot I'd left my car at the precinct last night! We'll have to take a cab, Alexis. Is that all right?"

Before his daughter could answer, Castle retrieved a set of keys from a hook next to the door.

"Just take mine."

"The Ferrari?" the detective asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No," he said, rolling his eyes. "I have an SUV for when I'm NOT trying to show off."

"Must not have very many miles on it, then," she quipped, and he swatted her arm.

"Go on, Alexis knows which one it is. See you this afternoon. Be thinking about what you want for dinner."

She gave him a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek, both of which he returned.

"See you, Castle."

"Until this evening, Kate."

She linked arms with Alexis, and the two of them walked out the door and down the hall, simultaneously glancing back to see Castle standing in the doorway with a half-smile and crinkly eyes. They waved and entered the elevator, Kate asking Alexis for the latest details on school, prom, and Ashley.

When they reached the garage, Alexis pointed out Castle's SUV, a dark pewter Navigator.

"Not what I would have pictured," Kate commented.

"Yeah, it's not flashy, but it is really nice inside. And check this out..."

She grabbed the keys, unlocked the doors and opened the passenger side, giggling while Kate watched in amazement as a running board unfolded from the car.

"That is so cool!"

Kate made her way around to the driver's side, listening as Alexis continued to talk to her.

"Dad can be outrageous sometimes, and he's good at being the center of attention, but sometimes I think he wishes his life were more normal. Of course, that doesn't mean he doesn't love a car that does neat stuff."

Kate nodded as she buckled her seat belt.

"I've noticed that he's been staying out of the public eye more recently. I mean, he still uses his connections sometimes and he tried to convince someone he knew the governor a couple days ago, but just in general, he seems like he's changed some."

"I think he's just become more comfortable around you and your team," Alexis said sagely. "He's probably just acting more like the real him, the way he does at home with Gram and me."

Kate was touched to hear the girl's assertion that the Rick Castle she was beginning to see more and more of was not just another side to his character but was the genuine man.

A silence descended on them for a few minutes as Kate focused on finding her way out of the garage. As they entered the morning traffic, she turned to Alexis.

"Alexis, I just wanted you to know that if you really do want your dad to yourself this afternoon, I understand. I can make some excuse."

"You don't want to come over?" The teenager looked hurt.

"No, no. It's not that at all. I just mean, that I don't want to infringe on your time together. I get him all day at work, I just don't want you to feel like I'm taking him away from you, especially after all that's happened the past few days."

"Kate, you make my dad really happy. As much as I worry about him sometimes, I know you'll take care of him. He needs you," Alexis said, then continued quietly, "And I think you need him too."

Kate was astounded by both the teen's honesty and her insight, but she hid her surprise, simply nodding and replying, "I think you're right."

Alexis smiled at the affirmation and managed to surprise the older woman even further.

"Plus, every time you guys have a rough case, he gets really clingy." She laughed. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I adore my dad, but it can be a bit much, you know?"

She turned to Kate and gave her a sly smile.

"I'm kinda hoping you'll be the one he clings to this time."

With that, the two saw that they'd arrived at Alexis' school. The girl unbuckled her seat belt, opened the door, and hoisted her bag to her shoulders.

"Thank you for the ride, Kate. See you at three."

"No problem, and yes, I'll see you then."

Alexis began to close the door, but paused. "Oh, you might want to bring pajamas with you. We tend to get pretty comfy when we have movie marathons. And don't worry about bringing any snacks or anything. We have everything...even a popcorn machine."

She shut the door and Kate began to laugh as she pulled away from the curb. What in the world had she gotten herself into this time?


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: All Castle characters are the property of Andrew Marlowe and ABC.

Author's note: Here's another chapter for you fine folks. I'm going camping this weekend, so it'll probably be a little bit before you get the next one. But I promise I'll take my iPad along in case inspiration strikes. As always, thank you for the kind words. I love reading the reviews and seeing the story alerts pop up in my e-mail!

* * *

As Kate pulled away from the school, her phone chimed to alert her to a new text message. It was probably from Castle, she figured, glancing down at the screen expectantly as soon as she reached a stoplight.

Surprise flashed across her face when she realized the message was actually from Josh.

"About to board my flight. Just wanted to check on you. Everything good?"

She tapped out a quick reply, a smile gracing her features.

"All good. Thank you. Let me know when you make it there safely."

The light turned green, and Kate accelerated, but not before she saw his response flash onto the screen.

"I'm glad. And will do."

She made her way home, unaccustomed to both the size and smoothness of her current vehicle. It certainly wasn't what she was used to, but it was definitely nice. She turned on the satellite radio and found a station that was playing Norah Jones and blissfully sang along for the rest of her ride home.

As the detective stepped into her empty apartment, she noted how chilly it was, especially in comparison to the furnace known as Castle's loft. She cranked the heat a little and headed for the kitchen to make herself another cup of coffee. Opening the fridge, she saw how little it contained.

"I really need to go to the store," she muttered to herself.

She closed the fridge, picked up her coffee and the paper and perched at the breakfast nook to catch up on the day's news. She knew there would be nothing about the terrorist threat. That was how it should be if they were doing their jobs right, after all.

Kate finished scanning the paper and set it down on the counter, going to the sink to rinse her cup before replacing it in the cupboard. She stood for a moment and looked out the window, debating what to do next.

Finally, she decided the grocery shopping could wait. Today was a good day for a bath. Slipping her shoes off in the bedroom, Kate headed into the bathroom to start the water running and add a capful of bubble bath. She stepped back into the bedroom to look for a book to read, settling on "In a Hail of Bullets" and setting it on the table next to the tub. It had been a long time since she'd read Castle's first novel, long before the writer had begun to shadow her.

Leaving a pile of clothes in her hamper, Kate turned off the faucet and gingerly stepped into the hot water, sinking gratefully into its welcoming warmth. She picked up her book and began to read. It didn't take long, however, for her to realize she was fighting a losing battle. Carefully, she set the book back on the table, leaned back in the tub, and closed her eyes.

When she awoke, it was to pruny skin and Lanie's ringtone. She quickly stood and grabbed a towel to wrap around her dripping body. She sloshed out of the water and into the bedroom where her phone sat on her desk.

"Crap," she sighed, realizing she was a moment too late. She hit the speed dial for her friend and waited until the M.E. picked up.

"Hey Lanie, what's up?"

"Not much, just wanted to check on my girl. How you doing? I tried calling you a couple times."

"Oh, sorry. I just got out of the tub. I must have fallen asleep in there."

"You were taking a bath? Rats, I was hoping I might be interrupting something else!" Lanie said with a laugh.

"Like what, exactly?"

"Oh, I don't know. Javier said Writer Boy looked awfully happy yesterday afternoon."

"Well, he had just saved the city, you know."

"That's true, but my man thought this was a different kind of happy."

"You can tell your 'man' he'd better mind his own business or he'll be riding a desk for the next month."

"Okay, okay, take it easy."

"Besides, didn't Javier," she said his name with a distinct mocking tone, "tell you that I left with Josh?"

She heard silence from Lanie's end. Finally the detective chuckled into the phone.

"You still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here. I guess he must not have seen that."

"Well, next time you better get your facts straight before making any assumptions," Kate teased her friend.

Lanie seemed to recover quickly.

"Anyway, how are you doing? I know you didn't have much time to recover from the freezer before you were back on the case. You feeling okay?"

"Yeah, better. Still a little cold, but I've got the heat turned up and I'm about to go put on some warm clothes."

"Good. You just let me know if you need anything, alright? Hey, you wanna get together for drinks tonight?"

"Actually, I think I've got other plans. Well, I have plans this afternoon and for dinner. I'm not sure how late I'll stay."

"Stay where?" Lanie asked suspiciously.

Kate blushed and shifted her feet uncomfortably, even though she knew her friend couldn't see her.

"Castle's," she said, rushing to continue before Lanie could comment. "Alexis invited me over for movies and dinner."

"Oh ho," Lanie laughed again. "And just when did you see Little Castle that gave her the opportunity to invite you over?"

Kate could feel her face turning an even deeper red, but she knew she might as well tell her friend now. She'd find out soon enough. That was the problem about working with detectives. It was far too difficult to hide things.

"Um...this morning, when she and Martha came back from the Hampton's," she mumbled.

"Wait a damn second, Kate Beckett! I thought you went home with Josh last night! I happen to know you're off today, so what were you doing at Castle's place this morning?"

Lanie sounded so indignant that Kate couldn't keep from laughing.

"I said I left with Josh, I never said I went home with him."

"Well then, what..."

"We went to dinner, he told me he was leaving for Haiti today."

"Oh girl, I'm so sorry. I know you liked him."

"I did. But I guess it just wasn't right for either of us."

"So what, he drove you into Castle's arms?"

Kate snickered. "Well, technically, he put me in a cab into Castle's arms."

Lanie was not amused.

"Girl, you better quit playin' games with me and tell me what's going on!"

"Well..." Kate began, drawing out the word. "Long story short, Josh and I went to dinner, he told me he was leaving for Haiti, and he pointed out to me that Castle loves me." She paused, waiting for her friend's response to what she'd just unloaded. She didn't have to wait long.

"He what? He told you that Castle loves you?"

"Yep, that's what I said."

"Girl, I've been telling you that for ages! Why do you listen to some man and not to your best friend?"

Though her words were harsh, Kate could hear the smile in Lanie's voice.

"I guess it was just how he said it. I don't know, I finally got it."

"Well, what happened after that?"

"We said goodbye, he put me in a taxi and told me I should go see Castle."

"And you did?"

"Yeah. I showed up at his door. I'm pretty sure he wasn't expecting me."

"No, I imagine not. So what did you tell him?"

"Nothing really, not at first. He made me hot chocolate, and we just talked. About everything that's happened the past few days. I thanked him for everything he'd done and told him I was glad to have him as my partner."

"So he's your partner now?" Lanie asked, chuckling. "Ooh, girl, I'm getting all kinds of warm fuzzies."

Kate couldn't keep from smiling at Lanie's response.

"He decided he was my partner during the Raglan case. Apparently the plucky sidekick always gets killed, and well, we couldn't have that. So yeah, he's my partner."

"I'm hoping you told him you wanted him to be more than just your partner at work."

"Getting there," the detective said, smiling because she knew that little comment would draw a raised eyebrow from her friend, even if she couldn't see it.

"We talked about the freezer, how scary it was, and how terrified we'd both been for each other when we woke up."

Somber silence filled the air as Lanie waited for her to continue.

"He said he thought he'd lost me," Kate said as her voice hitched.

"Oh honey..."

"I told him how scared I was when he didn't wake up, that I couldn't bear to lose him..." She trailed off as the emotions rose to the surface once again.

Lanie simply waited, knowing that Kate would go on when she could. Finally, though, she decided she needed to break the detective out of her introspection.

"I hope you let that handsome man hug the crap outta you."

Her comment had the desired effect, and Kate laughed.

"I did. I even hugged him back. Don't ever tell him I told you this, but Castle gives really good hugs."

Lanie giggled. "I always figured Writer Boy for a good hugger."

"Writer Man," Kate corrected before she even realized the words were coming out of her mouth.

"Girl, you're dating him, aren't you?" Lanie exclaimed.

Kate could feel herself blushing, even though she knew her friend couldn't see her.

"I'm not sure if we're dating, per se. But we're together."

Lanie, like Alexis had earlier, squealed.

"It's about damn time, Kate Beckett!"

Kate smiled into the phone.

"So what? He hugged you and now you're together? Details, girl! I need details!"

"Well, he might have told me he loves me."

"Mmhmm...go on."

"And I might have said it back."

"And?"

"And then this morning when Alexis and Martha got home-"

Lanie cut her off. "Hold on now, I do believe you're leaving out quite a few hours between heartfelt confession time and happy reunion time."

"We slept, Lanie."

"As in slept together?"

"As in slept next to each other, fully clothed, on his living room couch. We were both exhausted."

"Was there at least some cuddling involved?" the M.E. asked, sounding rather disappointed.

"Well, we kissed once, and we were both still cold, so yes, we cuddled under some blankets."

"You're not holding out on me?"

"No."

"Alright then. So tell me about this morning."

"Alexis and Martha came home, there was lots more hugging, Castle made pancakes, Alexis invited me over, and I dropped her off at school."

"How very domestic," Lanie drawled.

"Yes, well, she needed a ride and I wanted a chance to talk to her alone."

"About what?"

"I just wanted to make sure she knew that if she needed time alone with Castle I would understand."

"And what did she say?"

"She said she was happy to have me around, and that he tends to get clingy after bad cases. And uh," Kate cleared her throat and Lanie could tell she was slightly embarrassed. "And that she hoped he'd cling to me this time and not as much to her."

Lanie began to laugh. "Oh, I'm liking this girl more and more all the time."

"She's really something."

"So you've got his family's blessing."

"Well, I haven't actually talked to Martha, but she seemed happy enough, so yes, I think I do."

"How does this affect him shadowing you?"

"I'm not sure yet, we'll have to talk about it," Kate answered with a little hesitation.

"So can I tell Javier?" Lanie asked excitedly.

"Can you wait a bit? I should probably let the Captain know first. But after that, feel free to collect your money from the pool."

"Pool? What pool?" Lanie spluttered.

"Oh, cut the crap. I know you guys have been betting for ages on when we'd get together. Detective, remember?"

Lanie had the decency to sound admonished when she spoke again.

"Okay, it's true," she said, and then Kate heard the mischief return to her voice. "But only because it's the only way we could bear the anguish of watching you two dance around each other for two freaking years!"

"Alright, alright. Well, I just hope you'll do something worthwhile with your winnings."

"Maybe I'll just save them and use them to buy you a wedding present!" Lanie said slyly.

It was Kate's turn to splutter into the phone.

"We-wedding present?" she asked. "Don't you think you're getting just a little ahead of yourself? We just started dating or whatever it is, we're nowhere near even engaged!"

"You mark my words, Katherine Beckett...that man will have at least proposed by the end of the year."

Lanie's pronouncement was met with silence for a few moments and finally a shuddering breath.

"You really think so?"

"Girl, the man knows what he wants, and it just so happens to be you. Mmhmm, I wouldn't be surprised if he'd thought through how he'd ask you a hundred times before you even said 'I love you.'"

Kate was speechless. She knew she cared deeply for Castle, but she hadn't yet thought too far into the future. Could this relationship really be headed for marriage? Could he be her one and done?

"Girl, I know you're gonna start freaking out and overthinking this," Lanie broke into her thoughts. "But I'm telling you, don't."

"But, I..."

"Honey, that man loves you. He'd move heaven and earth just to see you smile. Can you really ask for more than that?"

"You're right, Lanie, I know. But do you think this is really the real deal, for both of us? I mean, he's been married twice already. And I do love him, but I've got my own baggage."

"Baggage that he's dealt with very well, if I'm not mistaken. And as for his marriages, well, you'll have to discuss that with him, but I suspect he was less at fault than he might appear."

"You really think so?"

"Girlfriend, we've all seen how he is with his daughter, and even with his mother. Despite the fact that he writes murder mysteries for a living, I don't think the man has a malicious bone in his body."

"It's not malice I'm worried about. It's his attention span."

"Kate Beckett, let me reiterate what I said before...two freaking years! He's been following you around like a lost puppy for two years now and hasn't gotten tired of it yet. Yes, you've kicked him out a time or two, but he's always found his way back, hasn't he?"

"What about last summer when he left with Gina?"

"Because he couldn't stand to watch you playing kissy-face with Demming! Girl, I could barely stand it, and I'm not in love with you!"

Kate realized two things: firstly, that Lanie was probably right, and secondly that she'd better stop the M.E. before she really got off on a rant.

"Okay, okay, you're probably right."

"Damn straight!" her friend nearly shouted, but then her voice softened. "Honey, you know I don't want to see you get hurt. You're my girl. But I think he's good for you, and I know you're good for him."

The detective smiled into the phone, and Lanie continued.

"Plus, he knows how much all of us at the 12th care about you. He'd be a fool to hurt you...he knows no one would ever find his body."

Kate chuckled at that, and felt a sense of calm and well-being wash over her.

"Anyway, I'll let you go. Have fun tonight, and tell Writer Man to come visit me tomorrow."

"Thanks, Lanie. And don't threaten him too much. I'll see you soon."

With that, Kate hit the end button on her phone, realizing she still wasn't fully clothed and that she'd begun to shiver. She headed back to her bathroom to dry her hair and put on some of her cherry lotion, knowing that if she and Castle ended up snuggling during the movie, he'd be sure to notice.

She put on comfortable clothes and shoes and walked into the kitchen, determined to check her fridge and cabinets and then get to the market for some groceries. It was just after ten o' clock, so she figured that Alexis would be back at the loft soon, but probably not yet, so she wouldn't be disturbing them.

"About to go to the store. Do you want me to bring dessert tonight?" she typed into her phone and sent the text to Castle.

His reply was swift. "Sure, whatever you want, though brownies and ice cream are always a hit."

"Okay, see you later." she responded, smiling as her screen quickly lit up with a last message from him. "Can't wait."

She grabbed her jacket and keys, locked her door, and opted for the stairs. Exiting the building, she headed for a small local store that she frequented. It wasn't the cheapest, but it usually had high quality produce and carried a few things she had trouble finding elsewhere.

After greeting the shop owner, who knew her by face, Kate grabbed a basket and wandered through the aisles. She collected the ingredients for the brownies, a recipe her mom had taught her many years before. She picked up some strawberries to go on top, and various other necessities—milk, eggs, a few frozen pizzas, and coffee, of course.

Eventually she reached the frozen foods and stood debating about which kind of ice cream to buy. The classic vanilla or maybe chocolate? Ooh, mint chocolate chip! Finally she settled on a pint of each, knowing that the different flavors would probably appeal to different members of tonight's little party. She wondered if Martha would be there as well and decided she'd better get an even four pints, so she chose a container of butter pecan. At the aisle's endcap she found a variety of toppings and picked up some chocolate syrup and chopped nuts. She was certain Castle already had at least one can of whipped cream in his fridge.

Scanning her basket, she concluded that she had everything she needed and made her way to the front to check out. The shopkeeper, a woman in her 60s with happy eyes and laugh lines, rang up her purchases.

"Let me guess…brownies and ice cream for dessert tonight?"

"How did you know?" Kate asked with a smirk.

"Oh, I have my ways. Four of them, really. My kids may be grown and out of the house, but that doesn't mean I don't remember what it took to make them happy when their friends came over after school or for a slumber party. I was the mom to all the kids in the neighborhood."

Kate smiled wistfully as she pulled out her wallet to pay.

"That's the way my mom was too. I was an only child, but there were always friends over. Looking back, I'm not sure how she had time to do it, but she never failed to have some kind of treat ready for us."

"That's just what moms do, dear," the woman said as she handed Kate her change. "But you're not old enough to have children, are you? So what's the reason for all the dessert makings today?"

"Technically, I'm old enough, but no, I don't have kids of my own yet. Actually, it's for my, well, I guess he's my boyfriend and his daughter. We're having a movie marathon."

Kate was surprised at how much she was opening up, especially to a near stranger, but seeing the kind expression on the woman's face, she decided not to worry about it.

"Sounds like just the kind of fun we all need. They're lucky to have you, my dear."

"Thank you. I'm lucky to have them too."

Again she felt that wave of contentment, and she smiled at the woman as she collected her bags and made the trek back to her apartment.

As she unlocked her door, she felt a buzzing coming from her pocket. Setting down her bags, she plucked out her phone to see Castle's picture on the screen.

"Hey," she answered softly. "I figured you'd be busy with Alexis by now."

"I am," he confirmed. "But she wants to know if you're making brownies."

"Yes, I just got back from the store, so I haven't started them yet, but that's the plan."

She heard him turn away from the phone to speak to his daughter before coming back to her.

"She wants to know if you could wait and just make them over here. She says they're better warm."

Kate laughed, "Sure, I can do that. I'll just bring the ingredients when I come over later. Maybe Alexis can even help me make them."

"Can I lick the bowl?" Castle asked hopefully.

She could picture the look on his face, his inner nine year old shining through.

"Raw eggs, Castle, remember?"

"Totally worth it," he responded.

"Alright, but don't come crying to me if your tummy hurts afterward," she warned him with a chuckle.

"You mean you wouldn't kiss it and make it better?"

His tone of voice, a perfect blend of innocence and his own brand of wickedness, created a perfect portrait of him in her imagination. She could see the way his lips would curve into a slight smile, the sparkle in his eyes, the way one eyebrow would be raised higher than the other.

"In your dreams, Castle."

"Mmhmm, you know it," he said, and she heard the leer in his voice. She couldn't help the blush that rose in her cheeks and was glad that he couldn't see her.

"Enough of that, get back to your daughter, I'll see you in a few hours."

"Alright," he said. "What are you going to do in the meantime now that you don't have to make the brownies yet?"

"I'm not sure, maybe go for a run. Probably take a nap. I fell asleep in the tub this morning."

There was silence for a moment on his end, and she could tell he was debating between compassion and innuendo.

"Well, get some rest then," he said, and she figured compassion had won out. "But next time, call me if you can't stay awake. I know of a few things that might help. Or better yet, I could just come over." And there was the innuendo after all. She rolled her eyes.

"You're rolling your eyes, aren't you?"

She held her phone at arm's length and looked at it in surprise until she heard his voice calling her name from the tiny speaker.

"Kate, are you still there? You didn't hang up on me, did you?"

She brought the phone back to her ear.

"I'm still here. Just wondering how you know me so well."

She heard him chuckle.

"Hey, I'm gonna get back to Alexis. We'll see you in a few hours."

"Okay, see you later."

She was about to hang up, but heard his voice once more.

"Kate?"

"Yeah, Castle?"

"Love you."

Her heart fluttered and she closed her eyes, smiling into the phone.

"Love you too."


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: All Castle characters are the property of Andrew Marlowe and ABC.

Author's note: I do believe this is the end of this story. I don't feel like going all AU, and since I doubt that this was what really happened between episodes, I figured I'd leave it here before tonight's show. Thank you for all of your encouragement over the past couple weeks. It's been fun!

P.S. I think Kate Beckett is the type of person to go after what she wants once she's sure of it. I also think Castle would be so scared of screwing this up that he'd try to take it slow. I think the contrast would be fun to watch. That's where a lot of this chapter comes from.

* * *

The shrill beeping of her phone woke Kate from a dead sleep. She struggled for a groggy moment to reconcile what seemed to be afternoon sun streaming through her bedroom window with the fact that she'd been soundly sleeping. Kate Beckett was not one to take afternoon naps. But today was an exception, she remembered as she checked the time. She had the day off and was due to be at Castle's in half an hour.

With a cat-like arch of her back, Kate stretched and sat up. After unpacking the groceries she had realized how tired she still was. She wanted to be able to stay awake during the movie marathon, so she decided to take a nap while she had the time.

Now, her sleepiness fading, she figured she'd better get moving. Her current jeans and sweater would be fine to wear over to the loft, but Alexis had mentioned pajamas as well. She wasn't completely sure the girl was serious, but knowing the Castle family, it was entirely possible.

It had been awhile since she had done laundry, and her two pairs of loose lounge pants needed to be washed. That left the tighter leggings. Oh well, she thought, Castle had seen her in them before, the time he stayed at her apartment during the Dunn case. She pulled out a faded green tee to go with them and stuffed both into an overnight bag.

She took a moment to brush the hair that had been mussed while she slept, then slipped on some comfy shoes, grabbed her bag and headed out. She was turning the key in the lock when she remembered the brownie ingredients she'd left in a box on the counter. Quickly, she reopened the door and, dropping her bags into the box as well, hoisted everything into her arms, locking the door as she left.

She was glad that Castle had given her the use of his Navigator, making her trip to his place comfortable and easy. Kate arrived quickly, parked and headed up in the elevator. At two minutes 'til three, she was knocking on the door to the loft.

It opened quickly and she saw a flash of red before two arms wrapped tightly around her waist. She leaned into the girl's embrace, saying hello as the teen's grinning father came to take the box from her hands and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek.

"Hey," he said softly.

"Hey yourself," she replied. "Do all of your guests get such a greeting?" she asked with a laugh.

It was Alexis who answered. "Nope, just the ones we love."

Kate felt her heart flutter. She wrapped one arm around the redhead's shoulder and the other around Castle's waist and they headed into the kitchen.

"Ah, well that's good," the detective said. "Because I only make brownies for the people I love."

She felt Castle leaning into her side and knew he would be hugging her if his hands weren't full at the moment.

They deposited the box in the kitchen and Alexis announced that she was going to pick movies, asking if Kate had any preferences. The detective requested something light, and the teen headed to the living room to make her choices, leaving the adults alone.

"Hey," Castle said again, wrapping his arms around Kate and pulling her into his warm embrace.

She laughed into his chest as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "You already said that, Castle." She felt him smile against her hair.

"What can I say, Detective Beckett? You render this writer a babbling fool, for I can find no words to describe your beauty."

She pulled back to look into his twinkling eyes. "Would you like a little wine with your cheese?" she teased, matching his smile.

His grin widened. "Why yes, actually, that sounds like a lovely idea. Red or white?"

"Your choice," she replied with a chuckle and released him to go retrieve a bottle. She busied herself emptying the box of brownie ingredients onto the counter.

"Hey Alexis," she called into the other room, "Do we wanna make the brownies now or later?"

"Can we stick to movie snacks for now and make the brownies when we do dinner?" the girl called back.

"Sure, I'll just put the ice cream in the fridge."

She left the rest of the ingredients where they sat alongside her overnight bag and deposited the four pints into the large freezer. When she turned around, she saw that Castle had returned with the bottle of wine and a pair of glasses. He had yet to open the bottle though, and Kate caught him eying her overnight bag.

"Are you spending the night?" he asked with a mix of hesitation and excitement.

She wasn't sure how the evening would turn out, so she dodged the question.

"Alexis told me to bring pajamas. Apparently you Castles like to get comfy for movie marathons."

"That we do," he replied, and she could tell he was going to drop the other topic, for now at least.

"She also told me you have a popcorn machine."

"Yes!" he exclaimed as he grabbed her hand and dragged her over to the corner of the kitchen where the machine stood, quickly removing the cloth cover.

"Alexis had a movie-themed birthday party a few years back, and I was going to rent one of these, but then I found out I could just buy one instead and I mean, really, who doesn't want their own popcorn machine. We've got movie theater butter and the flavored seasonings and everything to go with it, so if you want ranch or cheddar or caramel flavoring, you can have it. I wanted to get a cotton candy machine too, but I couldn't find one I liked, and Alexis said that was more carnival than movie theater anyway, so..."

He trailed off as he saw the amused look on Kate's face. She knew that he was an adult, a good father, and could be responsible and serious when the situation warranted. But the kid in him always made an appearance sooner or later.

"I'm sorry, I just get carried away, I-"

She quickly cut him off.

"I love movie theater popcorn," she said with a wink.

A smile bloomed on his face once again. "Then you've come to the right place. Come on, I'll show you how it works.

She watched as he pressed a few buttons, poured in the oil, measured out the kernels, and added a little salt. While they waited for the popcorn to pop, he stepped back, hands on his hips. Kate slid a hand through the gap between his arm and his torso, leaning into his side until he lifted his arm to rest on her shoulders.

"You know one of the things I love about you, Castle?" she asked, tilting her face up so she could see the quirk of his eyebrows.

"I love the joy you get from the little things, like popcorn and laser tag and magic tricks." She watched his eyes light up as he looked at her with a gentle smile. "You make me stop and smell the roses. No one has done that for me in a long time."

"Thank you for letting me," he said softly. "And I'll happily supply you with roses for the rest of your life if you'll promise to smell them."

She could tell by the tender look in his eyes that he meant every word but decided to tease him a little anyway.

"So what, you'll bring them in with my morning coffee and bearclaw?" she asked with a smirk.

"If it'll make you happy," he said, eyes still serious for a moment before Kate saw a hint of his usual twinkle. "There's actually a florist right next door to the coffee shop where I usually go. Though I'm not sure if I'll be able to swing it for those 4 a.m. crime scenes. I don't think they're open that-"

She cut him off again, this time with her lips pressed suddenly to his. Barely a second passed before he recovered from his surprise and responded, his mouth moving over hers. Her hands settled on his waist as his found their way into her long, wavy locks, pulling her closer to him. Their tongues barely touched and his groan vibrated into her. She shifted slightly, tucking her right hand under the hem of his tee shirt to stroke the soft skin at the base of his spine. She felt him shiver and he tore his lips away from hers.

"My God, woman! You're going to be the death of me!" His hands had dropped to her shoulders, but they still held each other close. She stroked his back again, and he nearly jumped, reaching behind him to grasp her small wrist and bring it up so he could kiss her hand.

She shut her eyes at the feel of his soft lips on her palm, opening them again to see a cloud of desire darkening his eyes. She was about to kiss him again when she heard Alexis calling out to them.

"Hey, are you guys about ready?"

"We'll be right there, sweetie," Castle responded, his voice sounding a little hoarse to Kate's ears.

"Okay, could you bring me a Sprite?"

"Sure thing," he answered before turning back to Kate.

"Maybe we could continue this later?" he asked, and she nearly laughed at the pleading in his eyes.

"That could probably be arranged," she agreed, with a satisfied smile. "Now, I'll go get our drinks while you take care of the popcorn."

She turned to head to the fridge to grab the Sprite, but Castle caught her wrist and pulled her back to him for one last chaste peck.

"I'm so glad you're here," he whispered, leaning his forehead against hers.

"Me too," she returned and lifted a hand to caress his cheek.

He let her go with a final squeeze, and watched as she sauntered over to retrieve a cold can of Sprite along with the bottle of wine and their glasses. She glanced back before she left the room, catching his appreciative gaze. He blushed when he realized she'd caught him staring at her, but she just winked and smirked at him, leaving him to pour the popcorn into tubs and gather the butter and other seasonings.

She plunked down on the other end of the couch from Alexis, leaving room for Castle in the middle.

"So what did you pick for us to watch?" she asked as she handed the redhead her can.

"Thanks," Alexis responded, settling back into the cushions of the couch. "I pulled out three, but if you've got any others you wanna watch, just say the word."

"Well, let's see what you've got," Kate said, picking up the first DVD case. "Ooh, Hitch. I love this movie...good choice."

"Yeah, Dad and I both like that one."

"Baby Mama...I haven't seen it, but I've heard it was pretty funny."

"Definitely, lots of quotable lines, you'll love it."

Kate picked up the third case. The cover made it look like an old sci-fi thriller, but it wasn't one she'd ever heard of.

"Lost Skeleton of Cadavra...yes!" Castle startled Kate with his gleeful shout as he entered the room and spotted the case in her hand.

"Hmm...if it's got you that excited, I'm not sure I want to watch it," she teased him.

"Please, Kate..." he turned on the puppy dog eyes. "I promise, if you want a light movie, there is none better."

Normally, she was immune to his begging, but she found herself giving in this time.

"Okay, what's it about anyway? It looks like an old sci-fi movie."

"Ah, but looks can be deceiving," he said with a grin. "Actually, it's more of a spoof on those movies. It's pretty recent, came out in 2001, I think."

"Yeah, it's one of Dad's favorites," Alexis piped up. "I was pretty leery of watching it the first time, Kate, but I think you'll really like it."

"Alright, then. Shall we watch it first?"

Castle took the case from her hands and happily popped the disc into the player, returning to the couch to plop down between his daughter and the detective.

Before long, the three were quite enjoying themselves, Kate laughing as Castle and Alexis both mouthed lines and made fun of the movie. She cracked up at the aliens' literal interpretation of English slang and the way you could see the seams on the monster's costume.

Castle had placed three tubs of popcorn on the coffee table in front of them, one seasoned with a cheddar cheese topping, one with caramel, and one with plain butter. Alexis favored the cheddar, while Kate ate primarily from the butter, and Castle dug into all three. Every so often, their hands would touch, and she would feel that spark of electricity between them.

On one such occasion, he stilled her retreat, wrapping his fingers around hers as they hovered above the buttered popcorn. She turned her head to look at him, a question in her eyes. He looked like he was about to say something, but then both heard a gentle cough on his other side.

"I'm gonna go get some more to drink. Do you guys want anything?" Alexis asked as she paused the movie and stood.

"No thanks, pumpkin, I'm fine. Anything for you, Kate?"

"Maybe a glass of water if it's no trouble?" Kate requested.

"Sure, be back in a minute."

Their brief moment had been interrupted, but she could still see something in his eyes.

"What is it, Castle?"

"Nothing, it's just...I can't believe it took us this long to get together."

"I know...we've both wasted a lot of time, haven't we?" she asked with a tinge of regret in her voice.

"Maybe, but maybe neither one of us were ready until now. Maybe we both needed to figure out what we wanted."

She sighed.

"As much as I hate to admit this, especially twice in one day, I think you're right," she said.

He grinned, but didn't tease her this time, simply lifted his arm and wrapped it around her shoulder, squeezing her into his side with his forearm so as to avoid getting butter and other toppings on her shirt.

"Alexis," he called into the other room. "Could you bring some napkins when you come back? I'd like to be able to put my arm around Kate, but I don't want to mess up her shirt."

"Okay," Alexis responded, and Kate could hear the laughter in the girl's voice. She turned to glare at the man sitting beside her.

"You just have no filter, do you?" Her tone was harsh, but she couldn't prevent the twinkle in her eyes.

"Well, honesty is the best policy, you know," he said, as he leaned in to place a kiss on the end of her nose.

Her musical laugh rang out. It had been many years since she had been this happy, and her normally guarded self was surprisingly okay with this open giving and receiving of affection. He had broken down her walls, not with a battering ram, but gently, brick by brick, until she realized what lay on the other side and began helping him.

Alexis returned with the napkins, and the water for Kate, along with a mug of tea for herself. Castle wiped his hands, and once they were clean, stroked Kate's shoulder and slung the other arm around his daughter, pulling her into him.

They turned back to the screen and Alexis pressed play again.

When the movie ended around five o' clock and the three had laughed so hard they were nearly crying, Castle stood and extended a hand to each of the women still on the couch.

"I don't know about you two, but I'm starting to get hungry. Shall we make some dinner?"

"Sure," Kate answered as she stood. "Alexis and I will get going on the brownies. What are you making?"

"Meatloaf, baked potatoes, and green beans, if that's alright?"

"Sounds good...I'm impressed that you can make more than just pancakes, Castle," she said with a wink.

"Hey, I'll have you know that I am an excellent cook...part of my creative nature, you know. That, and I couldn't feed my little girl take-out all the time."

"It's true, Kate," Alexis chimed in. "He is a good cook. Although, sometimes he gets a little too creative, if you know what I mean."

She leaned in close to the detective and whispered loudly, "If he ever offers you a s'morelette, just say no."

Castle feigned offense and stalked into the kitchen, the laughter of the women following behind him.

The three of them set about their tasks, Alexis retrieving bowls and spatulas and the mixer while Kate measured ingredients and instructed the teen on the 'secret family recipe of the best brownies ever.' She glanced up a few times to see Castle watching them with a soft smile as he prepared their dinner.

Soon enough they were pouring the batter into the pan and popping it into the oven. Kate was on her way to the sink with the bowl and spatula when a hand reached out and snagged her by the belt loop.

"Castle! What…" she exclaimed as he pulled her toward him.

"Bowl, please," he said, releasing her and holding out his hands. She rolled her eyes at him.

"Really?"

"You promised I could lick the bowl," he pouted.

"Oh, fine, take the bowl."

She left it in his hands and went to the sink to rinse her own hands. She turned around to see him greedily licking the spatula that he'd used to scrape the bowl. Alexis stood behind him, laughing.

"I'll be right back guys, I think I just heard my cell phone go off," the girl said before bounding up the stairs.

Kate just shook her head and surveyed her partner, whose mouth was ringed in gooey chocolate.

"Mmwhat?" he asked when he saw the way she was looking at him.

"You're a mess, Castle," she sighed as she sidled up to him. "We'd better get you cleaned up."

He started to set down the bowl on the counter behind him so he could pick up a hand towel. Before he could reach it, however, Kate had a hand on either side of his head, pulling him down to meet her mouth.

"Mmmthh," he grunted, surprised.

She wound her fingers into his hair, drawing him toward her. His hands found her waist and anchored her there. Their mouths met and she ran her tongue along the soft edges of his lips, wiping away the leftover brownie batter. One hand came up to her neck, holding her in place as he deepened the kiss, tasting chocolate and wine and a hint of buttery popcorn.

His groan echoed in her mouth and traveled down to pool in her belly, a deliciously warm sensation that she knew she would never tire of. She pulled him even closer until there was no more than half an inch between them from hip to shoulder.

His chest was warm and solid, and she could feel his heart racing against hers as he broke from her mouth to trail kisses and light nibbles across her cheek to her ear and then down to her neck where he lingered for a moment until proceeding to her collarbone.

It was her turn to moan, her breath heating and tickling his ear. Gently, she lifted his head so she could look into his eyes.

"All clean," she whispered breathily as he gazed at her with desire clear in his eyes. She pressed another kiss to his lips, allowing him to deepen it briefly before she heard footsteps on the stairs.

She didn't jump away, but she did step back to a more respectable distance. She watched his eyes open, but they were slightly glazed and unfocused, his lips swollen and his hair sticking up in the back.

Before his daughter could reenter the room, Kate picked up the bowl in one hand and grasped his arm with the other, dragging him to the sink, where she turned on the hot water.

"You dry," she whispered, smoothing his hair with a soft hand before turning to scrub the dishes in the sink. He hesitated for a moment until Kate saw understanding dawn on his face and he grabbed a towel.

"Hey, starting to smell good in here," Alexis said as she came into the room. Kate turned to see her opening the bottom oven to check on the meatloaf. "I think it's almost done, Dad."

She grabbed a potholder to squeeze one of the foil-wrapped potatoes, and it gave way easily.

"I'm gonna set the table. Do you guys want more wine, or something else to drink?"

Castle looked at the detective questioningly, and when she shrugged, he answered.

"If you'd just get us some water glasses, that'd be great. I think I've got a nice Bordeaux that would go well, but I'll have to check in a minute."

The two of them finished washing and drying the dishes while Alexis set the table. When the author went in search of the wine, Kate stepped in to help the girl carry the food and various condiments into the dining room.

They got everything situation, and soon Castle returned with an open bottle of wine and a pitcher of water. He handed the pitcher to Kate so she could fill all their glasses and pour a measure of wine into the goblets in front of the adults' place settings.

Then he sat, and they enjoyed dinner together, Kate complimenting Castle on his cooking from time to time. After a little while, she excused herself to check on the brownies, opening the top oven door and allowing the scent of rich chocolate to fill the air.

It wasn't long before the two Castles found their way into the kitchen to hover over her as she cut slices. They were all full, but couldn't resist the siren song of warm fudgy brownies and ice cream. Kate made them leave the brownies alone for a few minutes to cool just a little, and they all went to change into their pajamas before returning to the kitchen.

The three of them assembled their sundae creations, Kate choosing mint chocolate chip and chocolate syrup, Alexis picking butter pecan and pouring caramel sauce on top, while Castle pile a large scoop of strawberry ice cream on top of his brownie, adding more strawberries and chocolate syrup to the mound.

They returned the ice cream to the freezer and made their way back to the living room, settling into the couch again after Alexis switched Baby Mama for Lost Skeleton and pressed play. The rest of the evening was spent laughing at the antics on screen and enjoying their closeness. Right after Castle had put Hitch on and draped a blanket over the three of them, Martha came home. She helped herself to a brownie and a small scoop of vanilla ice cream, joining them as they laughed at the foolish things people do when they're in love.

As the movie wound down, Kate lifted her head from Castle's chest to see Alexis asleep on her father's other shoulder. He stroked her hair to wake her up, but she was obviously still worn out from the lack of sleep in the past few days.

"I'll be right back," Castle whispered, and he gathered his daughter into his arms, carrying her upstairs to tuck her into bed. Kate's eyes followed him out of the room, looking after him with a soft smile.

"He's a good man," Martha spoke after a couple minutes of silence.

"I know," Kate replied, nodding.

"You're a good woman," the actress said then.

"Thank you," the younger woman said quietly.

"Welcome to the family, darling," the matriarch said, coming to stand next to Kate and rest a hand on her shoulder.

Kate felt her eyes fill with tears and looked up at the woman who had raised the love of her life.

"Thank you," she repeated, covering Martha's hand with her own. "I can't think of another family I'd rather be part of."

As Castle's mother bid her goodnight and headed up to bed, Kate sat quietly in the dark, absorbing the events of the past two days. So much had happened, and she'd never expected things to turn out like this. But for once, she was certain of her feelings.

"The heart wants what the heart wants," she said out loud to herself.

She startled slightly when his voice answered her. She hadn't even heard him come back.

"Why Detective Beckett, are you quoting your favorite author?" he asked with a teasing tone in his voice.

"No, I'm pretty sure you're the one who told me that," she replied, turning to meet his twinkling eyes with her own.

He pressed a hand to his chest and rolled his eyes into the back of his head.

"You wound me, dear Kate."

She stood and rolled her eyes at him.

"I think you'll live," she said, linking her arm with his. "Come on, Castle, I'm tired, let's go to sleep."

He stopped in his tracks.

"You're staying?" he asked timidly.

"If that's alright," she answered, feeling a little shy for a moment before her instincts took over. "Are you going to keep your hands to yourself?"

"Hey," he exclaimed. "I'm not the one who's been pulling people into passionate kisses all day!"

"Hmm, you're right," she said, considering him with a thoughtful look. He watched her warily.

"Well, I think it's about time you started, Mr. Castle," she said with a wink, swatting him playfully on the rear and leading him to his room.


End file.
